UPS systems are often designed to be used to provide power to a larger communications system based on an AC utility power signal generated by an electric utility. Examples of communications systems that might use such UPS systems are cable TV (CATV) systems, telephony systems, and cellular telephone systems. Typically, a large number of the UPS systems will be distributed throughout the communications system.
In a typical UPS system designed to provide power to a primary load, the battery array is used only when the utility power signal is not present or out of predetermined parameters, and the battery array may be unused for long periods of time. The battery arrays distributed throughout a typical large communications system are a relatively expensive asset of such communications systems.
The need exists for improved UPS systems and methods that make better use of the existing assets forming a communications system.